Animal Welfare: Dogs' Tails

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What representations they have had from the British Veterinary Association on the issue of docking working dogs' tails; and what reply they are sending.

Lord Bach: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has received several written representations from the British Veterinary Association (BVA). In addition, officials have met the BVA on more than one occasion to discuss tail docking.
	The Government have made their position on tail docking clear—for example, in debate in the other place on Report on the Animal Welfare Bill (Official Report, 14 March 2006, col. 1330). Any response to the BVA would not differ from this position.

Armed Forces: Joint Strike Fighter

Lord Astor of Hever: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have power under the Export Control Act 2002 to forbid the outward transfer from the United Kingdom, and subsequent onward transfer, of aerospace technology provided to the United Kingdom from the United States in connection with the joint strike fighter project; and, if so, whether they will lay appropriate secondary legislation before Parliament.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Government have full powers under the Export Control Act 2002 and its secondary legislation to control exports of strategic goods, including military aerospace technology, from the UK where the technology is controlled by the UK military list or the EC dual-use goods regulation.

Asylum Seekers: Pakistani Christians

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will accommodate Christian asylum seekers from Pakistan whose families have been murdered by Islamic extremists.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Caseworkers in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) of the Home Office consider each asylum claim on its individual merits and will grant refugee status where the claimant can demonstrate that they qualify under the terms of the 1951 refugee convention. If an applicant's claim does not meet the criteria set out in the refugee convention, caseworkers will consider whether there are other humanitarian or discretionary reasons why he/she should be allowed to remain in the UK, in particular arising from our obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

Blasphemy

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have any plans to bring forward legislation to repeal the law of blasphemy.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: We have no plans to initiate such work.

British Citizenship

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will update the information for solely British ethnic minorities of Indian origin published on the website of the British consulate-general in Hong Kong to state that any child born in Hong Kong after 3 December 2004 to parents, both of whom are British nationals overseas or British overseas citizens (under the Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order 1986), or to parents, one of whom is such a person and the other is a citizen of India, automatically acquires British overseas citizenship at birth, and is entitled to register for full British citizenship under Section 4B of the British Nationality Act 1981 provided the birth has not been registered at an Indian consulate.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The information offered on our consulate-general in Hong Kong website is meant only as a brief guide and it is not a comprehensive statement of law or policy. The consulate-general endeavours to ensure that the information on its website offers clear advice on the eligibility of children born in Hong Kong to be registered as British citizens under Section 4B of the British Nationality Act 1981. The content of the consulate-general website is intended to reflect Home Office current policy.

British Citizenship

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is their estimate of the number of persons of Nepali origin from Hong Kong who may qualify for British citizenship under (a) the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997, and (b) Section 4B of the British Nationality Act 1981.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: We do not differentiate between the ethnic origin of British nationals. Our consulate-general in Hong Kong is unable to offer an accurate estimate of the number of persons of Nepali origin who may qualify for registration as a British citizen under either Act.

British Citizenship

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, having regard to the fourth data protection principle and the fact that some individuals who were believed to be dual British and Indian or Nepali nationals are in fact solely British, they will update the records held in the other nationalities field of the central register of British nationals overseas to remove data indicating that individuals simultaneously hold both British national overseas status and Indian or Nepali citizenship.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: Yes. This action will be taken by the British consulate-general Hong Kong following the successful registration of British national overseas applicants, of Indian or Nepalese origin, as British citizens under the provisions of the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997.

Common Agricultural Policy: Single Farm Payment

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many full payments of the 2005 single farm payments they hope to make before the partial payments commence.

Lord Bach: By close of business on 26 April, 52,922 claims to the 2005 single payment scheme had been paid.
	As my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced on 19 April 2006, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is currently working on a system to make substantial partial payments. The partial payments system will be deployed as soon as operationally possible. The RPA's intention is that all those who are eligible will receive full or substantial partial payments by the end of June.
	Prior to the implementation of the partial payment system, the RPA will continue to make full payments as claims are fully validated, with historic claimants having priority.

Common Agricultural Policy: Single Farm Payment

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many farmers still have non-validated claims for single farm payments outstanding.

Lord Bach: As of 26 April, just under 57,000 or 47 per cent of claims were still not fully validated.

Common Agricultural Policy: Single Farm Payment

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will invite the European Commission to extend the deadline of June 2006 for the completion of the 2005 single farm payments.

Lord Bach: The intention remains for the Rural Payments Agency to make either full payments or substantial partial payments to eligible claimants by the end of June. None the less, elements of some payments may be paid after that date. With that in mind and to safeguard the interests of UK taxpayers, a request has been made to the European Commission to extend the EU regulatory payment window.

Data Protection

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What monitoring of the working of the Data Protection Acts they have undertaken; and whether they have in mind any proposals to amend the legislation.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: The responsibility for monitoring the working of the Data Protection Act 1998 lies with the Information Commissioner, who has a statutory duty to promote good practice and to give advice to any person (including the Government) as to the operation of the Act. In addition, my department receives correspondence from a variety of individuals and organisations on issues arising from the day-to-day operation of the Act.
	We have no immediate plans for amending the legislation, but my department, together with the Home Office, is currently considering whether custodial sentences would be an appropriate sanction for unauthorised disclosure of personal information.

Deportation

Baroness D'Souza: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What progress they have made in agreeing and implementing memoranda of understanding with countries in the Middle East and north Africa for the deportation of foreign nationals considered to pose a threat to the security of the United Kingdom.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Memoranda of understanding concerning the provision of undertakings or assurances in respect of persons subject to deportation have been signed with Jordan, Libya and Lebanon. Copies of all three documents are in the Libraries of the House. A monitoring body for Jordan has been appointed, and we hope to finalise the monitoring arrangements for Libya and Lebanon shortly. A number of requests for assurances or undertakings under these memoranda have been, or will be, made in respect of persons subject to deportation action on grounds of national security. Discussions are continuing with other countries in the region. It would not be in the interest of those discussions to go into the details of their current status.

Drivers: Motoring Offences

Viscount Goschen: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	For each of the last 10 years for which figures are available (a) how many people were convicted of motoring offences, including those resulting from automatic cameras; and (b) how many parking fines were issued.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Available information for England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is given in the tables.
	
		Table A: Findings of guilt at all courts, for motoring offences1, England and Wales, 1995–2004 -- Number of offences
		
			 Year Total 
			 1995 1,537,300 
			 1996 1,492,400 
			 1997 1,475,300 
			 1998 1,464,500 
			 1999 1,415,200 
			 2000 1,364,600 
			 2001 1,325,800 
			 2002 1,382,700 
			 2003 1,549,600 
			 2004 1,549,200 
		
	
	1 Includes speed and traffic-light offences detected by camera devices.
	
		Table B: Obstruction, waiting and parking fixed penalty notices issued by the police and traffic wardens and penalty charge notices issued by local authorities, England and Wales, 1995–2004 -- Number of offences
		
			 Year Fixed penalty notice1 Penalty charge notice2 Total 
			 1995 2,271,000 3,148,000 5,419,000 
			 1996 2,282,000 3,523,000 5,805,000 
			 1997 2,199,000 3,769,000 5,968,000 
			 1998 2,118,000 3,872,000 5,990,000 
			 1999 1,808,000 3,956,000 5,764,000 
			 2000 1,595,000 4,655,000 6,250,000 
			 2001 1,325,000 5,303,000 6,628,000 
			 2002 1,165,000 6,413,000 7,578,000 
			 2003 1,044,000 7,123,000 8,167,000 
			 2004 883,000 7,653,000 8,536,000 
		
	
	1 Issued by police (including traffic wardens).
	2 Issued by local authorities (under the decriminalised parking enforcement scheme).

Dyslexia

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What plans they have to increase resources for people with dyslexia in the London area.

Lord Adonis: People throughout the country, including in London, benefit from the substantial resources which the Government make available to support children and adults with particular learning needs, including dyslexia.
	Local authorities in England estimate that expenditure on the education of school-age children with special educational needs (SEN) has increased from £2.8 billion in 2001–02 (when data were first available) to £4.1 billion in 2005–06. This is about 13 per cent of all education spending. It is estimated that almost £750,000 was spent last year in London. In addition, the Government provide funding to schools through the School Development Grant (SDG), which can be used for activities in support of children with SEN. The SEN element of the SDG in 2004–05 was £84 million (it is not ring-fenced; schools decide how it should be used). The total SDG for 2005–06 was £674 million. This will increase by 3.4 per cent per pupil in 2006–07 and 3.7 per cent in 2007–08.
	In respect of learners in further education, my department does not allocate separate budgets at local or regional level to meet particular learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Young people and adults with dyslexia in England can access mainstream programmes where their needs are met through core funding, with additional funding support where required. In 2004–05, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) supported 641,000 learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities at a cost of around £1.5 billion. The figures for 2005–06 are not yet available. There is a separate budget for specialist colleges for learners with the most severe needs. We are providing £158 million for this purpose in 2006–07. Support for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is a key priority identified in our grant letter to the LSC and is in turn reflected in the LSC's annual statement of priorities.
	In addition, in 2004 my department's Skills for Life Unit has produced a publication, A Framework for Understanding Dyslexia, as part of the Government's national strategy for improving adult literacy skills. This framework provides general information on the nature of dyslexia, a review of theories about dyslexia, and an overview of approaches and programmes used by specialists who support dyslexic learners. This work has been followed up by a second project, Supporting Dyslexic Learners in Different Contexts.
	Disabled students' allowances (DSAs) can help pay the extra costs students may incur to attend a course of higher education, as a direct result of a disability or specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia. The allowances can help pay the cost of major items of specialist equipment, a non-medical personal helper, travel and other course-related costs. DSAs are paid in addition to the existing standard support package. They are not means tested and do not have to be repaid.
	The Government remain committed to increasing resources for the education of people with learning difficulties at all levels.

Fishing: Salmon

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What active liaison they have with the Governments of Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands concerning the continuance of their self-imposed embargo on drift netting to protect common salmon feeding grounds within their jurisdiction.

Lord Bach: Iceland and Denmark (in respect of Greenland and the Faroe Islands) are parties to the NASCO convention, as is the EU. UK officials play an active role in the EU delegation to NASCO, to promote the conservation, restoration, enhancement and rational management of salmon stocks. These activities have included annual negotiations with Denmark (in respect of Greenland and the Faroe Islands), which have secured a reduction in the fishery at west Greenland to the current subsistence level (with a zero quota) and the current cessation of long-line fishing in Faroes waters. The Faroe Islands have never operated a drift-net fishery for salmon, and Iceland has no salmon fisheries in its marine waters.

Fishing: Salmon

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What recent representations they have made to the Government of the Irish Republic regarding the introduction of a self-imposed embargo on drift-netting in order to protect and restore salmon stocks in the north Atlantic; and what were the results of those representations.

Lord Bach: The National Salmon Commission in Ireland has recently been determining the management regime for its fishery, based on the advice of its scientific committee. We have provided assistance to the commission as regards the way in which we and the North Atlantic Salmon Fund (UK) organised the buyout of the majority of the North-East Coast Salmon Driftnet Fishery. We are also prepared to offer help to the working group which the Irish Marine Minister has set up to consider the implications for the net fishery of reducing the total allowable catch (TAC) to a level which would enable conservation limits to be respected.
	In our view, this long-standing problem should properly be resolved in an EU context (rather than in a wider international forum such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea), and we believe that there is now the will on all sides to do so.

Fishing: Salmon

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bach on 10 February (WA 125), what liaison they maintain with the North Atlantic Salmon Fund (NASF); and whether they support NASF's objective to protect stocks of Atlantic wild salmon.

Lord Bach: Her Majesty's Government are fully committed to the conservation of north Atlantic salmon stocks and are ready to work with organisations such as NASF. However, while we are in agreement on objectives, we do not always agree on the means which should be adopted to achieve them.

Hazardous Substances

Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the European Union directive on the restriction of hazardous substances, to be effective from 1 July 2006, will ban the use of electrical components in church organs with lead pipes; and, if so, what advice they will give to a church which has contracted to purchase a new organ of traditional construction with lead pipes and utilising an electric blower.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Department of Trade and Industry has sought clarification from the European Commission as to whether pipe organs fall under the scope of the directive. If the Commission concludes that they do, the department stands ready to work with the industry to build a suitable exemption request.

Immigration: Mustapha Abdulhusein Ebrahim

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will publish in the Official Report paragraphs 14 to 18 of the statement dated 18 December 2003 submitted by the chief caseworker for nationality casework in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate of the Home Department to the High Court of Justice, Queen's Bench Division, in the case of Mustapha Abdulhusein Ebrahim v Secretary of State for the Home Department.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The statement was produced for legal proceedings which were subsequently withdrawn and, on that basis, will not be published in the Official Report.

Israel and Palestine: UN Resolution 442

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will propose at the next General Affairs and External Relations Council on 15 May an approach by the European Union to the Government of the United States concerning the commencement of Israel's military withdrawal from the Palestinian West Bank, as required by United Nations Resolution 442.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: We, along with our EU and other international partners, continue to press for Israeli compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 242. But we have no plans to propose this at the next General Affairs and External Relations Council.

Israel: Mordechai Vanunu

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will make representations to the Government of Israel to rescind the extra 12 months' movement restriction imposed on Mordechai Vanunu following the end of his 18 years' incarceration.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: On 27 April 2006, our embassy in Tel Aviv raised our concerns with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the decision to extend the movement restrictions for Mr Vanunu. Our ambassador in Tel Aviv previously raised our concerns in September 2005 when the restrictions were extended. We recognise that Israel has a right to protect its national security but are concerned that the restrictions are excessive.

Parliamentary Ombudsman

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bassam of Brighton on 29 March (WA 126), on how many occasions since 1997, and in respect of specific recommendations, HM Treasury has refused or omitted to give effect to the recommendations of the Parliamentary Ombudsman.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: HM Treasury does not maintain central statistics of this nature and it is not possible to check individual files without incurring disproportionate cost.

Parliamentary Ombudsman

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bassam of Brighton on 29 March (WA 126), on how many occasions since 1997, and in respect of which specific recommendations, the Treasury Solicitor's Department has refused or omitted to give effect to the recommendations of the Parliamentary Ombudsman.

Lord Goldsmith: The Treasury Solicitor's Department has had three cases upheld by the Parliamentary Ombudsman since 1997. The department has not located papers on two of the cases, which predated 2001, but can confirm that the recommendation of the ombudsman was followed in the third case.

Parliamentary Ombudsman

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bassam of Brighton on 29 March (WA 126), on how many occasions since 1997, and in respect of which specific recommendations, the Department for Constitutional Affairs and its predecessors have refused or omitted to give effect to the recommendations of the Parliamentary Ombudsman.

Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Since 1997 the DCA and its predecessors have declined to give full effect on two occasions to recommendations made by the Parliamentary Ombudsman. These were both in relation to complaints made under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. The ombudsman's reports on these two cases are in the Library.

Parliamentary Ombudsman

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bassam of Brighton on 29 March (WA 126), on how many occasions since 1997, and in respect of which specific recommendations, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and its predecessors have refused or omitted to give effect to the recommendations of the Parliamentary Ombudsman.

Lord Bach: Neither the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) nor its predecessors have collated figures on the number of occasions where they have refused or omitted to give effect to the recommendations of the Parliamentary Ombudsman. While a definitive reply could be provided only at disproportionate cost, we believe that there have been no cases since Defra was established in 2001.

Parliamentary Ombudsman

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bassam of Brighton on 29 March (WA 126), on how many occasions since 1997, and in respect of specific recommendations, the Department for Work and Pensions has refused or omitted to give effect to the recommendations of the Parliamentary Ombudsman; and
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bassam of Brighton on 29 March (WA 126), on how many occasions since 1997, and in respect of which specific recommendations, the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority has refused or omitted to give effect to the recommendations of the Parliamentary Ombudsman.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: On only one occasion since 1997 has the department, its executive agencies or NDPBs refused or omitted to give effect to the recommendations of the Parliamentary Ombudsman. This occurred in the case of her report Trusting in the pensions promise published in March this year. The Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority (OPRA) was one of the department's NDPBs. OPRA was replaced in April 2005 by the Pensions Regulator.

People Trafficking

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will ratify the Council of Europe trafficking in human beings convention.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The Government are currently considering signature of the Council of Europe convention against trafficking in human beings. We have concerns that some of the provisions it contains, such as the granting of automatic reflections periods, may serve to make it attractive for people to claim to have been trafficked. This would make it even harder to identify genuine victims. A consultation period with UK stakeholders on our response to human trafficking has recently ended: its results are being collated and will help inform the eventual decision. It is worth noting that while 26 member states have signed the convention, none has actually ratified it.

Police: Arrest Warrants

Baroness D'Souza: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many applications for arrest warrants have been made since 1998 to magistrates concerning allegations of crimes contrary to the Geneva Conventions Act 1957 or Section 134 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988; and
	How many arrest warrants have been issued since 1998 by magistrates in respect of allegations of crimes contrary to the Geneva Conventions Act 1957 or Section 134 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Information is not held centrally on the number of applications for arrest warrants or arrest warrants issued by magistrates for crimes contrary to the Geneva Conventions Act 1957 or Section 134 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988.

Police: Arrest Warrants

Baroness D'Souza: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they are considering changing the law and procedure relating to the issue of arrest warrants; if so, for what reason; and what changes are being considered.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Government are considering a range of issues relating to the issuing of arrest warrants in international cases following recent experience of such cases but they have not yet concluded what changes, if any, are required to existing legislation.

Prisons: Records

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Under which headings the prison records of all those given custodial sentences are kept; for how long they are kept; and where they are kept after a prisoner is released from custody.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: A prisoner's record is maintained by the establishment which detains him or her and is divided into the core file and the inmate medical record. The record is kept by the prison from which the prisoner is released. The following table sets out retention periods.
	
		
			 Inmate MedicalRecords All Personal HealthRecords 10 years afterconclusion oftreatment or death 
			  Mental disorder treated under the Mental Health Act 1983 20 years after treatment no longer considered necessary; or eight years after the patient's death if patient died while receiving treatment. 
			  Maternity records 25 years 
			 Inmate Core File For lifers and records selected for special retention 20 years from date of discharge 
			  For prisoners sentenced to a total of three months or over in respect of 
			 any one period of custody Six years from date of discharge 
			  For any other prisoner received 
			 into custody (either after sentence or on remand) One year from date of discharge

Race Relations

Lord Ouseley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have made an assessment of the extent to which their policies and practices in relation to asylum seekers, refugees and immigration might indirectly run counter to the provisions of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 on the promotion of good relations.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: My right honourable friend the Home Secretary in May 2005 published a revised Associate Race Equality Scheme for the Immigration and Nationality Directorate of the Home Office, which sets out how it will assess its policies and practices in respect of the duties under the Race Relations Act 1976, as amended by the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, including the promotion of good relations between persons of different racial groups. Race equality impact assessments of policies and practices in relation to asylum seekers, refugees and immigration are undertaken in accordance with the Race Equality Scheme and informed by guidelines published by the Commission for Racial Equality. In particular, such assessments were carried out in respect of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, which implements measures contained in the Government's five-year strategy on immigration and asylum. The full race equality impact assessments and the Race Equality Scheme itself have been published on the Home Office's website.

Schools: Special Educational Needs

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, in view of the recent allegations concerning the treatment of a pupil at Woodlawn Special School in North Tyneside, they intend to introduce guidelines on the cleansing of special needs pupils.

Lord Adonis: Schools and all other settings registered to provide education will already have hygiene or infection-control policies as part of their health and safety policy. This is a necessary statement of the procedures the school will follow if a child accidentally wets or soils him or herself. A guide called Including Me: Managing Complex Health Needs in Schools and Early Years Settings was launched by the Health Needs in Education Consortium, including Mencap, the Council for Disabled Children and the Royal College of Nursing, supported by DfES in November 2005. The guide gives practical advice and solutions to help children who have complex health needs, and contains guidance on continence, facilities and procedures for personal care. The department has no plans to introduce further guidelines on cleansing.

Seals

Lord Hoyle: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they have proposals to prohibit the trade in harp and hooded seal products.

Lord Bach: Council directive 83/129/EEC (as amended) already requires EU member states to prohibit the commercial importation of skins (and other listed products) of whitecoat harp and blueback hooded seal pups. This seals directive is implemented in the UK by the Import of Seal Skins Regulations 1996.
	There have been calls to impose a wider prohibition on trade in seal products and the department is currently looking into this issue, together with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department of Trade and Industry.

Smuggling

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much they estimate is lost annually in revenue in Northern Ireland through (a) fuel laundering; (b) cigarette smuggling; and (c) alcohol smuggling.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: No estimates have been produced on the revenue lost annually in Northern Ireland through fuel laundering, cigarette smuggling and alcohol smuggling.

Taxation: Companies

Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord McKenzie of Luton on 8 March (WA 145), when the report entitled Tax on the Boardroom Agenda—The Views of Business, dated February 2006, was published; and whether they will place a copy of that report in the Library; and
	What action they intend to take in response to the conclusions of the report entitled Tax on the Boardroom Agenda—The Views of Business that "there is a clear desire for tax simplification for large corporates" and "whilst it is not dominant, a lack of trust [between HM Revenue and Customs and large corporates] appears to be a recurring theme".

Lord McKenzie of Luton: The report entitled Tax on the Boardroom Agenda—The Views of Business was published on the HMRC website on 11 April 2006, and is available in the Library. The report concluded that chairmen of UK-based large corporates are willing to engage with HMRC at a senior level, on a number of key strategic issues. These issues will be addressed as part of the following initiatives:
	The publication of HMRC's large business service operating model on 18 April 2006, Working with Large Business, Process 1—Working with Customers, describes how HMRC aims to work in an open, collaborative relationship with its large business customers.
	On Budget day 2006, the Chancellor announced a review of HMRC's links with large business, to be led by Sir David Varney. The outline plans published on 12 April 2006 demonstrate that the review will meet business's desire for further dialogue and demonstrate HMRC's responsiveness and willingness to engage on key strategic issues. The new forum will provide an excellent opportunity for HMRC and business to take stock of their relationship and to review how they can work better together to ensure that the UK has a modern, responsive tax administration which meets the needs of both the authorities and business.
	HMRC has created a new Large Business and Employers Customer Unit whose remit is to develop a better understanding of the needs of large business, across a range of strategic and operational issues, and to use this understanding to inform, challenge and influence behaviour across HMRC and HM Treasury.

Taxation: Company Returns

Baroness Noakes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord McKenzie of Luton on 18 April (WA 220), whether they (a) have accepted the recommendation in the report HMRC Online Services that the XBRL computer language should be used for the filing of company tax returns; (b) have considered the degree to which XBRL is currently used by businesses of all sizes; (c) have considered the additional costs to businesses of all sizes of being required to use XBRL; (d) have compared the relative costs and merits of XBRL with alternative methods of company tax return filing from the perspective of the companies which will be affected; and (e) consider that the partial regulatory impact assessment issued by HM Revenue and Customs on 22 March adequately deals with the costs and burdens associated with the compulsory use of XBRL.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: (a) The Government announced on Budget day that they accepted Lord Carter's recommendations and that, subject to the right systems being in place, companies would be required to file online using XBRL from April 2010.
	(b) XBRL is being developed by an international non-profit consortium of approximately 450 major companies, organisations and government agencies. XBRL is already being put to practical use in a number of countries and its use is growing rapidly around the world.
	(c) XBRL is a technical coding system which would be largely invisible to the product user. The majority of company accounts and computations are already prepared using software packages. HMRC does not expect the cost of software packages to be significantly increased by the incorporation of XBRL because of market pressures and because this is functionality that software providers are already developing. Lord Carter's recommendation will help to drive that development.
	(d) HMRC does not anticipate that use of XBRL will involve additional cost or burden for companies. XBRL is designed to streamline financial reporting at all stages, from the point where individual financial transactions take place and are recorded by a company's business software systems, through to audit and accounts preparation processes, and on to tax and regulatory reporting. There is no competing standard for financial reporting. The potential benefits of XBRL to small businesses were recognised by the ACCA in 2004 in its paper Using information and communication technologies to reduce the compliance burdens faced by small businesses—A Proposal by ACCA.
	(e) HMRC will be working with representative bodies on the detailed implementation of Lord Carter's recommendations, and comments have been invited on the estimated costs and benefits identified in the partial RIA.

Transport: Bus Lanes

Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 19 April (WA 247), whether they alerted local authorities to the necessity of establishing an appeals service in order to commence bus lane enforcement outside London.

Lord Davies of Oldham: When we consulted on the draft legislation to implement the provisions in the Transport Act 2000 for the civil enforcement of bus lane contraventions, attention was drawn to the regulations dealing with the appointment of adjudicators and the associated appeals procedures. In the light of pre-consultation discussions, the appeals service was expected to be an extension of the one already established for the civil enforcement of parking contraventions.

Waste Management

Lord Vinson: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In light of the £5,000 penalty to be introduced under the European Union waste directive for householders who burn plastic waste, what is the definition of air pollution for these purposes to which householders and those responsible for monitoring compliance should refer.

Lord Bach: The change to Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 brought in by the Waste Management (England and Wales) Regulations 2006 will make it an offence to treat, keep or dispose of household waste within the curtilage of a dwelling in a manner likely to cause pollution of the environment or harm to human health. "Pollution of the environment" is defined in Section 29(3) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 as,
	"pollution of the environment due to the release or escape (into any environmental medium) from
	(a) the land on which controlled waste is treated,
	(b) the land on which controlled waste is kept,
	(c) fixed plant by means of which controlled waste is treated, kept or disposed of,
	of substances or articles constituting or resulting from the waste and capable (by reason of the quantity of concentrations involved of causing harm to man or any other living organisms supported by the environment)".

Yorkshire: Objective 1 Funding

Lord Mason of Barnsley: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which particular projects in Doncaster, Barnsley, Sheffield and Rotherham have benefited from Objective 1 funding since its inception; and how much each project has received.

Baroness Andrews: South Yorkshire secured Objective 1 status in 1999 for a seven-year programme (2000–06) which would invest a total of £1.8 billion in the economy, including £750 million of European funds. The overall objective of the programme was to kick-start the economic transformation of the area by investing in significant south Yorkshire-wide projects.
	Almost 100 per cent of the funds have now been committed and actual delivery will take place up to 2008. Around 80 per cent of the funds have been committed to pan-south Yorkshire projects which benefit all four local authority districts. To date the programme has been responsible for creating over 20,000 jobs, assisting over 7,000 businesses in the region and helping over 250,000 individuals to improve their skills.